At 38, Tasha Tilberg Is Once Again the Model of the Moment

In a fashion season where the average age for runway models hovered around 17, Tasha Tilberg was a welcome anomaly. One of the definitive faces of the late ’90s and early aughts, the supermodel brought a sense of worldliness to collections like Alexander McQueen, Marni, and Michael Kors—serving as a reminder that talent can trump novelty, even in the youth-obsessed sphere of model casting. At 38, Tilberg is far from being old, but her return, alongside peers like Guinevere van Seenus and Stella Tennant, provided the Fall 2018 catwalks with some much-needed age diversity—something Tilberg is happy to be a part of. “There should be room for everyone. Everybody is a part of the market and should be represented,” she says over the phone from Paris. “Coming back this season, I’ve felt extremely positive. There are so many great models of all ages and ethnicities working right now—everybody should have the ability to work if they choose.”

The decision to return to the runway was a careful one for Tilberg, who is raising 5-year-old twins, Bowie and Gray, on a sprawling farm near Vancouver with her wife, Laura Wilson. She decided to wait until her kids were old enough before signing on for the rigors and travel that come with walking a full season. “I think my perspective has shifted,” Tilberg says. “Feeling good about myself and just having better mental energy—I think, for me, it’s made an impact. I’ve been working on that for years, trying to retain a lot of positivity in my life.”

Of course, Tilberg has been unique from the start. Discovered at 14, she came on the scene in the late ’90s through her work with designers like Helmut Lang, and eventually landed in ads for Louis Vuitton and Calvin Klein. Tilberg’s raven hair and septum piercing became ubiquitous in editorials, ushering in fashion’s love affair with edgy beauty. Now, she enjoys seeing the trends she modeled the first time around show up on the runways all over again. “It’s actually been really cool to see the ’90s and early 2000s [influence], that whole vibe and energy. I like the aesthetic,” she says. “I’ve enjoyed the collections this season, all the beautiful trenches, the use of cashmere, and great tailoring—who doesn’t want to wrap themselves in a beautiful cashmere cloak or jacket, especially now that it’s freezing!”

The silhouettes may be familiar, but Tilberg has been struck by the ways in which the industry has evolved. “I’ve been modeling longer than you’ve been alive is a strange feeling, but it’s also really great,” she says. “Coming back this season, I’ve really noticed so much more diversity in terms of age, size, skin colors. I’ve enjoyed every show that I’ve been a part of [because] it’s not just mostly girls who look the same and then one or two who are different; people are really going for it and it’s been refreshing.”

Tilberg has booked a full slate of editorial work for the postseason, but she’s not giving up on the other career she’s developing on her farm: vintner. “The grapes are there. I should be there pruning right now,” she says with a laugh. “Every time I come home, I have to do a few rows and try to get it done. I’m focusing on this work right now, but when I get back, I’ll have to finish up before spring starts for real!”